Serial Mover?

3 Ways to Decorate When You’re Always Packing

by: Erin Wasson

Many Chicago young professionals have been “serial movers” since college. We moved from dorm to dorm, and off-campus from apartment to apartment, year after year. Now that we’re in the work force, not much has changed. It’s a constant struggle to find decent roommates, affordable rent, and convenient locations based on our ever-evolving life circumstances.

But just because we essentially live out of boxes doesn’t mean we have to scrimp in the home décor department. Here are three home design ideas for the “serial mover” minimalist:

1 • Create your own lightweight, portable headboard for your bed
Visit an art store like Blick Art Supply and purchase a large, blank, primed canvas. Next, decide on one or two favorite complementing accent colors. Buy a small can of acrylic wall paint and a large varnishing brush from a local home improvement store. All the supplies should cost no more than $50. After painting your canvas, mount it low on the wall, just above your bed to appear like a headboard. Next, brag to your friends that you are an abstract artist who specializes in the modern technique known as color field painting . Charge hundreds of dollars to paint custom similar pieces for your friends! Go Here for even more DIY headboard ideas!

2 • Add some wall accents for nothing
Add some wall accents for nothing Add shimmery, silver wall accents using nothing more than Scotch Aluminum Foil Tape, a yardstick, pencil and scissors. Whether creating the allusion of living room wall moldings, or mounting small, geometric designs in the bathroom, the foil looks best along cool color walls like shades of blue, gray or purple.Your room may start to look a little “disco ball” flashy if you use sparkling silver against bright reds or oranges. The great thing about the adhesive tape is that it is easy to remove or lovingly leave behind for the next lucky tenant. Use leftover tape to wrap up old glass vases, or shoe boxes for storage. Remember that foil conducts heat, so refrain from decorating old lamps or candle holders to reduce the “ouch” factor.

3 • Use your books for more than just a coaster
I have many leather-bound books, and my apartment smells of rich mahogony. Ah yes, we’re a sophisticated, literate young bunch, and most of us have bulky boxes of books that are too beloved to part with. And so, they travel with us from home to home. Instead of throwing them on a coffee table haphazardly, arrange them in small bunches by the color of their covers, and use them as accent pieces around the house. Add pop to the top of the refrigerator, complement a nightstand’s brightly colored lamp, or stack them beneath a vase on the mantle. This décor method eliminates the need for a heavy, bulky bookshelf!